Trials: Part II: For Life
by SLUG-CAT624
Summary: COMPLETE Rated: K plus Summery: After 'For Love'. Brambleclaw has been banished from ThunderClan. Will he really make it on his own?


**For Life**

 **A Trials Oneshot**

 _One of the elders, Mousefur, spoke. "As elders, Firestar let me and Longtail listen to their stories and convict the criminal. It was not a choice. Only a son of Tigerstar could have done this!"_

 _Yowls of agreement came from the Clan._

 _Firestar looked grave. "Then I hereby banish Brambleclaw, son of Tigerstar, from Clan territory forever. If a cat spots you by dawn tomorrow on our land, they will be forced to kill you."_

 _Brambleclaw staggered up to the Great Rock. "I… accept these terms. I will be gone by dawn." And Brambleclaw staggered through the thorn tunnel._

 **XXX**

My heart is breaking. My Clan is no longer my own. My dearest Squirrelflight is dead. I was betrayed, banished, and witnessed _her_ murder. It's all that traitor's fault. Ashfur.

 **XXX**

The tabby tom ran. The trees were blurs, his paws pounded on the leaf scattered ground. Oaks that he once called his home were now his enemies land. The sky clouded, and it began to rain. He ran even faster, trying to escape his thoughts. Thunder crackled as if StarClan themselves were yowling in rage. He flew past the scent marks without caring. His heart ached again as he smelled her scent on the border, not tainted with the chill of death. He ran and ran, until his legs collapsed beneath him. He dragged himself to the shelter of a fallen tree, and fell into a restless sleep.

Brambleclaw dreamed. He dreamed of Squirrelflight. The fiery red fur of her father, her mother's soft eyes. Her scent entwined around him, pulling him closer. But when he reached to touch her she faded away, not even a glimmer of starlight remained. "No!" he yowled. "NO!"

He woke to a light tabby she-cat nosing him. "Hey," she meowed softly. "Are you alright?"

He hissed, flinching at the touch, sprang to his paws, and dashed away. He heard the she-cat calling after him.

"Hey! Come back!"

 _I can't._

"Who are you?!"

The forest blurred around him. _No one now._

"Wait! Stop! Your-!"

The ground fell from beneath him, there was a flash of pain, and the world was gone.

 **XXX**

He was lying on something warm and soft. He smelt a warm, familiar scent. A soft nose brushed his ear. He opened his eyes. "Mother?..."

The blurry shape purred softly. "No, I'm afraid not."

He blinked, and looked into the sparkling green eyes of the cat who he ran from earlier. But her company did not seem threatening like before. He relaxed his tense muscles. For the first time ever, he really, _truly,_ felt safe. He fell asleep to the rasping of the she-cat's tongue over his fur.

 **XXX**

The days past. Penny, the friendly she-cat, happily took Brambleclaw to her Twoleg to help him recover from his fall in the ditch. One day, he asked why her scent was so familiar.

"Well... my mother was a forest cat."

They were laying out in the sun in the stones in her Twoleg's small garden. At first, Brambleclaw was shocked that he was in a Twoleg den, but when Penny told him the Twoleg was the one who was helping him he settled down a little. Soon he grew to even appreciate the Twoleg's company, for he gave meats and not the rabbit-droppings that the elders told of.

"Do you know who she was?"

She looked thoughtful. "I remember ginger fur... and the smell of plants."

Brambleclaw frowned and made a mental list of who it could be. _Sandstorm? No, Penny is too young for that... Brightheart? Maybe, she would smell like he sometimes, she helps in the medicine den. But I don't see her being unfaithful to Cloudtail..._ Suddenly, a thought came to him. _Leafpool?! She did have an affair with Crowfeather._

"It could be Leafpool, I guess..."

"Leafpool... It's a nice name. Really rolls off the tongue."

For the first time in many moons, Branbleclaw really felt happy. He purred with amusement. "Come on!" They scrambled up to the top of the fence, Brambleclaw leaning on Penny slightly, he wasn't fully healed yet.

They stayed there for a long time, long into the night.

END OF PART II


End file.
